Wave-motor.



G. A. BURROWS WAVE MOTOR. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15, 1908.

Peitented'Feb.'23, 1909.

INVIM Z 6Y fl. Burfnws; BY /4 JfidA/Qj.

ATTORNEY aw orrrcn CLINTON A. BURROWS, OF LENlOORE, CALIFORNIAWAVE-MOTORi Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 15, 1908. Serial No. 438,606.

Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLINTON A. BURROWS, citizen of the United States,residing at Le moore, in the county of Kings and State of California,have invented new and useful lmproyements in Wave-Motors, of which thefolowmg 1s a specification.

My invention relates to motors of the class .desi ned to convert theforces of wave and tida water actions, into mechanical power.

It is the pur ose of this invention to provide a motor of few parts andgreat stfength. A furthenpurpose is to provide a structure that willconvertthe several distinct and have shown, at 2, in Fig. 1, a float, ofany desirable construction, placed so as to have free to and fro, and upand down action.

To the bottom of the fioat are rigidly secured transverse flanges 3inclined away from the front end of the float. By front end of the floatis meant the end towards the approaching wave. As many of these flangesas are desired may be used, of such dimensions as the conditions mayrequire, and, as shown, the first and last of the series may be of lessdepth than the intermediate ones. The flanges perform the importantfunction of resisting the tendency of a wave to simply lift the floatand glide under; and being inclined rearwardly offer a wedge-likesurface to the water, and thereby lift the float a considerably greateramount than would be the case were they not used. An advantage gained bythe use of the fins or flanges is that they make the float far moreactive and-buoyant than a float of greater depth would be, and stillthey offer as much, if not more, resistance than a deep float would.Piles 4, are driven firmly, surround the float in such manner as toallow free forward and backward motion of the float, and other piles 5form side guides therefor. Ca-

bles, or any equivalent flexible connections 6 are secured, one pairforward and another pair-to the rear, to the bottom of the float 2,preferably near the side ed es. The forward pair of cables passes aroundrespeotive underneath direction sheaves 7, swiveled low down-on thepiles 4 below the lowest level to which the float may drop; thenceupward and over loose pulleys 8 on a suitably supiorlcd overhead shaft9. Pawls 10 carried by the pulleys engage the ratchet wheels 11 fixed tothe shaft 9. The latter has keyed to it a gear 12 meshing with gear 18on countershaft 14 by 'which is driven any suitable mechanism, as an aircompressor 14. Any suitable means for rotating the shaft may be used.Other sets of cables 15 are attached to the top of the float and serveto rotate the shafts 9 in the same direction as cables 6 when the floatfalls, by connections similarto those just described. All of the variouscables after passing around their respective pulleys 8 have secured totheir free ends counter-weights 16. The rear pair of cables (3 runsdownward and around the underneath direction sheaves 7 swivel ed on theside piles 5, thence upwardand around pulleys and cooperativemechanisn'i similar to that mounted above the forward end. The float hasboth a limited oscillating and reciprocating motion, as well as an upand down motion.

It will now be seen, by my construction, that under the impulse of anincoming wave, as indicated by the arrow, thefront end of the float israised and the full force of thethe downward motion of the rear end ofthe float pulls cables 15 and rotates the rear shaft E). The continuedtravel of the wave allows the forward section of the float to drop, andraises the rear end, rotating the rear shaft 9 through cable 6.Meanwhile the float may have a strong rearward motion between theguiding piles, which is trans mitted through both pairs of cables 6simultaneously.

This device utilizes all the simple motions, such as the rising andfalling due to both wave and tide, and the various motions due to thecombination of these; and by means of the flexible cables great freedomof action and strength is obtained.

Having thus described my invention,

what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent isc 1. In a wavemotor, the combination of a float suitably sup orted to rise and falland to have a limite reciprocating and oscillatory motion, said floathaving inclined flanges projecting from its bottom, cables connected tothe float leading around underneath direction sheaves, a drive-shaftabove the float, and suitable connections between the cables and thedrive-shafts for translating the various movements of the float into.float, said float having inclined rigid underneath flanges, cablesconnected to the underneath portion of the float, leading thencedownward underneath direction sheaves, an

overhead drive-shaft to which said. cables connect, and mediateconnections by which the winding and unwinding of the cables operate toturn the shaft.

3. In a Wave motor, the combination of a float, piles between which thefloat rises and falls, said float having underneath inclined rigidflanges, direction sheaves on said piles below the lowest level assumedby the bottom of the float, cables attached to the float and runningaround said direction pulleys, suitably supported overhead directionpulleys, an overhead drive-shaft, loose pulleys on said drive-shaft andaround which said cables pass, counterweights on said cables, andratchet drive connections between said loose pulleys and saiddrive-shaft to operate the latter on the movement of the float.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing Witnesses,

CLINTON A. BURROWS.

Witnesses R. G. SWAIN M. CLIFFORD.

